Frontier IP, a UK-based commercialisation firm, has reached an agreement with its first non-UK university, Universidade de Évora in Portugal.
The agreement between the two entities means Frontier IP will advise the university on how best to maximise the potential of any intellectual property it develops or owns. In return, Frontier IP will gain an equity stake in each spinout and a share in any licence revenue.
We previously reported in November 2015 that Frontier IP had doubled its revenue.
Frontier IP wrote in a statement that Portugal has a strong research base in sectors such as sustainable energy and food and agriculture, which compliments the firm’s relationships with utility companies in the region, such as EDP – Energias de Portugal and Iberdrola.
Neil Crabb, chief executive of Frontier IP, said: “This agreement with Évora is an exciting step for Frontier IP and is in line with our strategy of developing our relationships internationally, adding to the strong relationships we already have with industrial partners in the region.
“We are looking forward to working with Évora to develop and commercialise its IP portfolio.”
Ana Costa Freitas, rector of Universidade de Évora, said: “At Evora, we discover and develop strong science in defined fields, including environment, agriculture, energy and materials, but recognise the need to commercialise and make the most of this knowledge.
“Given our lack of experience in this area, we are excited to progress our knowledge and ideas with the Frontier IP team.”
